Golden Globes go for ‘In Treatment’

HBO leads all networks with 22 nominations

Just two new shows — both from HBO — managed to earn bids Thursday from the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn., which completely ignored the broadcast nets’ frosh fare.

HBO’s “In Treatment,” in its first year of Golden Globe eligibility (it won two Emmys in September), led all series with five nominations. The pay cabler’s Southern vampire thriller “True Blood” was the only other first-year skein to score any recognition, landing two.

Thanks in part to their January ceremony, the Globes have developed a reputation for honoring new series first, before the TV Academy gets a crack (and even then, the more traditional TV Acad has a reputation for not honoring shows right out of the gate). Last year, for example, the Globes were able to recognize critical darling “Mad Men” before the Emmys did the same.

The fall season, however, offered few solid Globes contenders from the broadcast nets, which saw their development impacted by the Writers Guild strike. (Several of the nets’ new series don’t bow until midseason, after the Globes kudocast.)

But HFPA members also ignored the obvious handful of newcomers that might have been in the nomination hunt, including CBS’ “The Mentalist” and its star, Simon Baker (an Australian who should seemingly have some fans inside the international HFPA membership).

The Globes also ignored ABC’s “Life on Mars” and CBS’ “Worst Week,” which are based on British hits.

B’cast takes back seat

Instead, the broadcast nets took a back seat to cable — in particular, the two major pay networks. HBO dominated the nomination rosters with 22, thanks to a strong showing in both the series and longform arenas.

The HBO telepic “Recount” tied “In Treatment” for the most mentions, at five, while the web’s mini “John Adams” came in right behind at four and its longform “Bernard and Doris” and comedy “Entourage” each took three. Skeins on other networks also garnering three noms were NBC’s “30 Rock,” which logged the most for any broadcast program; PBS’ “Cranford”; and AMC’s “Mad Men.”

Showtime, meanwhile, was second among nets, with eight noms. The channel’s “Californication,” “Dexter” and “Weeds” received two bids each.

HBO and Showtime’s 30 noms beat out everyone else’s — combined. NBC earned the most of any broadcaster, with six, followed by ABC (five). AMC was first among basic cablers, with “Mad Men’s” three noms.

The Globes’ drama category repped the biggest change from last year, with incumbent winner “Mad Men” and returning nominee “House” up against vet Showtime skein “Dexter” (which wasn’t up last year) and newbies “True Blood” and “In Treatment.”

“The show has a lot of international appeal and a very international cast, so I think that’s why the Golden Globes took more notice than the Emmys,” said “In Treatment” co-exec producer Noa Tishby.

Cable once again dominated the drama roster, with just one skein — “House” — coming from the nets.

“To be the only broadcast show nominated and be in their company is a huge honor,” said “House” exec producer Katie Jacobs. “We do 24 episodes, which is a real marathon, and they’re doing 13. I’d like to do that one day.”

On the comedy side, incumbent winner “Extras” is no longer eligible, having finished its run, but Emmy winner “30 Rock” and cable laffers “Californication” and “Entourage” are all back with noms. Vets “The Office” and “Weeds” return, having been left out last year; no new shows made the list.

As with this year’s Emmys, the Golden Globes’ top series nominees — “In Treatment,” “30 Rock,” “Entourage” and “Mad Men” — are all little seen by the larger viewing public.

Other Globe TV notes:

Anna Paquin received her second consecutive TV nomination at the Globes — last year for the longform “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” and this year for “True Blood.”

The Globes’ odd, catch-all “supporting roles in a series, miniseries or motion picture made for TV” categories continue to offer up some odd contests: Neil Patrick Harris, nommed for his stint on “How I Met Your Mother,” will face off against Tom Wilkinson in “John Adams,” Denis Leary in “Recount,” Blair Underwood in “In Treatment” and Jeremy Piven in “Entourage” (last year’s winner), for example.

HFPA fans are not big on traditional multicamera comedies. Not a single nominee in the comedy, lead comedy actress or lead comedy actor categories come from that world.